FedWatch — Federal Funding & Lien Watcher

contracts_search_opportunities

Search live federal contract opportunities on SAM.gov, newest-modified first. Filter by keyword, NAICS codes, set-aside codes (e.g. SBA, 8A, HZC, SDVOSBC, WOSB), and notice types (e.g. 'Sources Sought'). The public index applies those filters after fetch, so a filtered search pages deeper (up to 10 pages / 1,000 records) until the filter is satisfied — the response reports pages_fetched, how many records were examined (fetched), and scan_truncated when the page budget ran out. Returns the SAM index total and the post-filter count.

Tool call template

This tool declares no required parameters. Add optional parameters from the input schema as needed.

{
  "id": 1,
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "arguments": {},
    "name": "contracts_search_opportunities"
  }
}

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description
`size`	No	Index records per page (1-100, default 100); also the post-filter target a filtered scan pages toward
`naics`	No	NAICS codes to require, e.g. ['561720']
`keyword`	No	Free-text keyword, e.g. 'janitorial'
`active_only`	No	Only active notices (default true)
`notice_types`	No	Notice types to require, matched case-insensitively, e.g. ['Sources Sought']
`set_aside_codes`	No	SAM set-aside codes to require

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

First observedOct 24, 2026

TDQS

A3.9/5.0

Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

With no annotations, the description carries the burden and does well: it discloses the post-fetch filtering model, the page budget cap, and the scan_truncated escape hatch, plus the exact counters returned (pages_fetched, fetched). It omits prerequisites such as SAM.gov API key/auth needs and any rate limits.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Front-loaded with purpose and ordering, then the paging mechanics, then the return shape. Four dense sentences with no filler, though the middle sentence is long enough to be slightly hard to parse on a quick scan.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

No output schema exists, and the description compensates by naming the returned fields (index total, post-filter count, pages_fetched, fetched, scan_truncated). Only auth/setup requirements and pagination-resumption guidance are missing for a tool an agent must call live.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 100%, so the schema already documents all six parameters, giving a baseline of 3. The description adds real context about how filters interact with paging ('filters after fetch', 'size also the post-filter target'), but it doesn't add code vocabularies or matching rules beyond the schema examples.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

States a specific verb and resource — 'Search live federal contract opportunities on SAM.gov' — plus ordering ('newest-modified first'), which cleanly implies pre-award opportunities rather than contracts_search_awards. It never explicitly names the awards sibling, so the differentiation is inferable rather than stated.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines4/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Explains the operational trade-off clearly: filters are applied post-fetch by the public index, so a filtered search pages deeper up to 10 pages / 1,000 records. That tells an agent when this is cheap vs expensive. It does not name an alternative tool or state when not to use it.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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